Want to find out more about world hunger? Then you've come to the right place! Overcoming world hunger is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Famine is a global social problem that is exacerbated by environmental problems, which in turn are caused by other social problems.
This or something similar could be used to describe why 931 million tons of food end up in the garbage can every year, even though there are 733 million starving people on the planet at the same time.1
In this article, I would like to give you everything you need to know about world hunger. You will learn the definition, statistics, causes, consequences and also the solutions that we can all implement together in our everyday lives. Let's go!
Here is already a short overview for you:
Definition: What does world hunger mean?
World hunger is generally understood to be the global problem of people suffering from a lack of food. suffer from malnutrition and undernourishment.
But the hunger can be three different types which I would like to briefly explain here:
- Acute hunger: This refers to a famine over a limited period of time. (e.g. as a result of wars or natural disasters).
- Chronic hunger: Means the permanent state of malnutrition in which the body takes in less food than it needs. (e.g. due to permanently poor income conditions).
- Hidden Hunger: This form of hunger is chronic and difficult to recognize. Hidden hunger describes a lack of nutrients due to a permanently unbalanced diet. (e.g. rice as the only source of nutrition)
Facts & statistics: World hunger in figures
Of course, I would like to back up my comments on world hunger with facts & figures. Therefore, here you will find some of the most important statistics about world hunger:
- Every thirteen seconds, a child under the age of 5 dies of hunger.
- Every 11th person does not have the minimum amount of food available.2
- Around 733 million people go hungry. That is around 2 percent of the world's population.
- World hungerIndex (GHI) for 2024 is 18.3. By comparison, it was already 18.8 in 2016. The proportion of the world's population suffering from hunger is therefore only falling very slowly.
Tip: You can find more statistics on world hunger at World hunger statistics. I try to update them annually.
Causes: What are the causes of world hunger?
The reasons for global hunger are incredibly diverse. They are both of an ecological, social and economic nature. But one thing unites all causes: they are a consequence of human action.
Here I would like to briefly explain in more detail why people are still going hungry.
World hunger due to meat consumption
According to the BMEL become alone 56 percent of grain in Germany for animal feed and only 21 percent to feed the population. Per capita consumption in industrialized countries has tripled since 1970. Fortunately, however, it is now declining and in Germany is around 52 kilograms per year.3
Through the Factory farming and the increased, agricultural Greenhouse gas emissions such as CO2 and methane, global warming is also increasing, which in turn results in serious crop failures for many people.
World hunger due to wars & conflicts
Social and political conflicts and wars also exacerbate hunger in the world. For example, because technical facilities for irrigating fields are destroyed or people are forced to leave their homes. lose personal property.
The more publicly such unrest takes place in a region, the stronger they also have an impact on the economy. Increased prices for less available food are the result.
Global famine due to natural disasters
Storms, droughts and floods for example, can cause unexpected but extreme crop failures. Of course, there have also been natural disasters in the past. However, in the course of global warming, the Number of climate-related disasters tripled again since 1980.4
In combination with the Water shortage can long periods of droughtwhich occur several years in a row, can pose an existential and life-threatening danger.
Unequal distribution of purchasing power & food
Not everyone has the same financial opportunities: Around 1 percent of the world's population owns around 50 percent of global assets.
In addition the rich industrialized countries determined the rules of trade. Many developing countries export raw materials and foodstuffs, but it is the importing countries that really earn from this.
Ultimately, at this point Corruption and illegal land grabbing play a decisive role in global hunger.
Another cause of world hunger is the Poverty of many people in developing and industrialized countries. They simply lack the financial means to take care of their own nutrition and health.
High standard of living in industrialized countries
One of the reasons why 733 million people worldwide go hungry is the lack of appreciation Western society for natural resources. We have become a real Disposable society developed and live in abundance. Also because everything is available at any time of day or can be ordered online.
This also applies to other consumer goods, but of course especially to the Food waste. As I said, 931 million tons of edible food are thrown away worldwide every year.
The same applies to the direct and, above all, indirect (virtual) water consumption. The latter is the result of our society's "consumer mania". For example Production of one kilogram of meat about 15,500 liters of water necessary.5
Global hunger due to climate change and upstream environmental problems
As I said: The climate change exacerbates the social problem of world hunger, as it leads, for example, to crop failures due to long prolonged periods of drought leads to a global water shortage. With global water scarcity, accelerated global warming is also exacerbating another of the biggest environmental problems of our time.
But of course climate change is also a consequence of others, man-made circumstances on earth, such as the deforestation of the CO2-absorbing rainforests or the Overfishing of the seas.
Growth of the world population
The fact is that the World population increases by about 2-3 people per second₁₇ - and this growth must be supplied with food, drinking water and many other things. However, this will often wrongly used as a general excuse The fact that you as an individual cannot change anything about world hunger.
World hunger could be reduced after the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations by 2030 despite the growing world population have an end. The food situation is above all a problem of distribution (keyword: food waste) and the diets (high demand for animal-based foods with a detour to animal feed) of our society.
Consequences: What are the effects of global famine?
In Article 11 of the UN Social Covenant is the Right to food firmly anchored as a human right. Nevertheless, it seems that almost a billion people on earth are not free from chronic hunger. This suffering has both extreme social, economic and health consequences. I would like to explain them to you in more detail here.
Children get into a vicious circle
Hunger and poverty are related to many other problems in life. Parents who suffer from hunger themselves are physically weakened and become ill more easily. As a result, the labor force suffers and they cannot afford to send their children to school. School to send them to work. Often the children even have to work themselves.
But even if they can go to school, malnutrition causes them to be unfocused and their level of education suffers as a result. The resulting dwindling career opportunities ultimately mean that they also have a lower income later on and could also go hungry in the future.
Economic power of a company decreases
A logical consequence of a starving society is also the decline in the country's own economic power. Especially in developing countries this is noticeable.
When people are physically weaker and sick more often and for longer, then their productivity also suffers. As a result, fewer goods can be produced to supply citizens, making costly imports necessary or increasing dependence on development aid from rich industrialized countries.
People flee their home countries
When industrialized countries provide humanitarian aid in crisis situations, this measure combats the symptoms in the short term, but not the causes of world hunger in the long term.
In certain regions that are affected by long periods of drought and extreme water scarcity, for example, people will eventually become Environmental Refugees, the to regions as close as possible with better chances of survival.
In many countries parents have many children
Especially in developing countries, the Desire for more than two children particularly large.
On the one hand, because parents have a Protection in old age need and on the other hand because the Mortality rate The risk of death among children is generally significantly higher than in industrialized countries due to poorer medical care and a lack of clean drinking water and food.6
Diseases spread
Malnourished people have a weakened immune system and fall ill more quickly. In addition, in many developing countries there is often little or only contaminated drinking water available. Also a Lack of medical care contributes to the faster spread of diseases such as diarrhea.
Even in the womb, children of malnourished parents can suffer from malnutrition. The Development backlog is difficult to make up after birth under the conditions that usually prevail.₁₉
People and animals die due to famine
Physical weakness due to famine accelerates the death of people and, of course, animals. In countries like Somalia, for example, many people are depend on their camels.
However, as these are also subject to the lack of drinking water and food supply They suffer, starve and die of thirst. The death of the animals then deprives many owners of their own livelihoods.
Solutions: How can we defeat world hunger?
The encouraging and practical part of this article starts with some very good news: world hunger can be stopped! In fact, it could by the year 2030 (see SDG 2) will be history. However only in harmony between consumers, business and politics.
What everyone can do in everyday life
Many people contribute through their Lifestyle contribute massively to people going hungry elsewhere. I would therefore first like to show you here, what you can do yourself in everyday life to combat world hunger can:
Vegan (or vegetarian) diet
How does it affect world hunger if I were to give up meat or products of animal origin altogether? Quite simply: the "Detour animal" no longer applies.
If everyone went vegananimal feed would no longer have to be cultivated and there would be suddenly millions of square meters of land available for the cultivation of plant foods.
In addition, the Greenhouse gas emissions (like CO2 or methane) and the drastically reduce global water consumption. By giving up animal products, we would also save a lot of healthier livingso that Diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure would be on the decline.
One good start you get with the Online course "Going vegan made easy "*. And if you want to make the transition a little easier with vegan substitute products, you absolutely have to try drop by Velivery*.
-
Cookbook Vegan cliché goodbye!20 € -
Eat animals13 € -
Vegan is nonsense!24 €
Reduce food waste
Through a respectful, appreciative handling of the foodwe have at our disposal, we can all counteract world hunger. Here are some practical tips to help you make your personal Minimize food waste:
- Sort new food at the back of the fridge and older food at the front.
- Sometimes buy food that is out of shape, as it is often thrown away.
- Use Oilcloths* and Lunchboxes*, to keep food fresh longer.
- Shop with a shopping list - and only buy the food you actually eat.
Tip: In the linked article, you can find out how to Making food last longer can. I also recommend sharing leftover food with others. Both with your neighbors and through organizations like Food Sharing. With the latter, you can even get and save food for your own use free of charge.
Regional, seasonal and conscious shopping
Concentrate on fair trade, seasonal, regional, plant-based products when buying food. Organic food. You can recognize them, for example, by the organic or FairTrade seal or the country of origin.
Through FairTrade for example, you specifically support farmers who are not part of the industrial farming sector but still receive fair prices.
Avoid oranges from Spain, for example. Because these are irrigated with groundwater - for One kilogram of oranges is about 438 liters of water necessary.7 As a consumer, you use this water indirectly.
Donations to fight world hunger
In addition to an adapted lifestyle, a donation to the Organizationswhich specifically combat the causes of world hunger and support people in famine.
Three sensible Contact points I have listed and briefly explained them here:
- Welthungerhilfe: The organization aims to ensure that all people can live a self-determined life without hunger and poverty in the future. For example, it promotes local agriculture and access to clean drinking water. More at www.welthungerhilfe.de.
- UNICEF: The United Nations Children's Fund fights to ensure that girls and boys around the world can grow up healthy and safe. For example, malnourished children in famine are provided with special food. More at www.unicef.de.
- Bread for the World: The development organization of the Protestant churches supports people in rural regions around the world in achieving higher agricultural yields. It also provides targeted support for education and health, among other things. More at www.brot-fuer-die-welt.de.
Tip: In addition to private donations, you can of course also actively support a specific cause on petition portals. Launch a campaign against hunger in the world and collect signatures.
What politics & business must do
Of course, we consumers can play our part in ending world hunger. However, this Mindfulness very little if we do not solve the social problem at the same time. Tackling political and economic issues.
Here are some Ideas, goals and measuresthat can help in this respect:
- Define the "2030 Zero Hunger" goal as a top priority.
- Creating permanent access to education and employment for refugees.
- Abolish preferential VAT treatment for animal products.
- Allow food to be rescued from supermarket containers.
- Introduce training programs for smallholder farmers in developing countries.
- Actively combat the causes of flight such as climate change and conflicts.
What else needs to be done? If you have any other ideas, feel free to add them in the comments below this post.
Will global hunger end?
Yes, it will. Only the exact Timing is still unclear. Until then, countless people and animals will unfortunately die of hunger.
I think that the above embedded Reportage from Somalia makes it clear to all of us how serious the situation is. And that everyone who daily three liters of water and two to three hot meals, really appreciate your own situation should.
My wish is that this article has raised your awareness of world hunger. Through our lifestyle we are all a part of this problem - but we can all just as well be a part of its solution every day.
"You can't build peace on empty stomachs."
Dr. Norman Ernest Borlaug, American agricultural scientist (1914-2009)
Do you have any questions, tips or your own experiences with famine that you would like to share? Then please write me a comment.
PS: Have a look at the Environmental protection blog over. There you will learn even more about the challenges of our time. Find out, for example, how you can help the global species extinction of animals and plants.
References:
- Deutsche Welthungerhilfe e. V.: Putting an end to food waste, available at https://www.welthungerhilfe.de/aktuelles/blog/lebensmittelverschwendung. [19.11.2024]. ↩︎
- Deutsche Welthungerhilfe e. V.: Hunger: Spread, Causes & Consequences, available at https://www.welthungerhilfe.de/hunger. [19.11.2024]. ↩︎
- https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/daten/private-haushalte-konsum/konsum-produkte/gruene-produkte-marktzahlen/marktdaten-bereich-ernaehrung. [19.11.2024]. ↩︎
- https://www.nationalgeographic.de/7-fakten-zum-klimawandel. [19.11.2024]. ↩︎
- https://waterfootprint.org/media/downloads/Hoekstra_and_Chapagain_2006.pdf. [19.11.2024]. ↩︎
- https://www.dsw.org/bevoelkerungswachstum-3-warum-waechst-die-weltbevoelkerung. [19.11.2024]. ↩︎
- https://www.naturfreunde.de/sites/default/files/attachments/nf_vw_methodenkoffer_leitfaden_final_website_1.pdf. [19.11.2024]. ↩︎
